Do Behavior Sciences have a "beef" against psychoanalytical therapists?

does the same thing applies in other countries?

Yes it applies in all countries to some extent, because the base axioms of the theories arent really compatible. However most people see the usefullness of both theories and mix and match as they see fit for their patient. (for example, even Freud said that behavioural exposure therapy is necissary for fobias).

But the conflict between Behaviourism and Psychoanalysis, is perhaps especially prominent In North America due to the history of both behaviourism (quite american) and Psychoanalysis (jewish / European). Alot of european psychoanalysts had to flee to America during WW2, and were meet by coleagues by radical behaviourists. So I think a very "ingroup" "outgroup" mentality developed between the diciplines, rather than viewing eachother as therapy / academic colleagues.

The split between diciplines now a days is primarily a methodological one, where Cognitive Behavioural Therapists refuse to accept anything other than experimental, controll group trial designs, as valid. As well as only statistics as a valid mode of interpretation. While this is a common way of thinking in psychology, its not necisarrily this black and white. Shedler esscentially explains this better than anyone (http://jonathanshedler.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Shedler-2015-Where-is-the-evidence-for-evidence-based-therapy-R.pdf). This blunt rejection of all phenemenological and qualitative data have a tendency to piss of the psychoanalytically inclined, for a good reason, as it is a rejection of alot of science (not only certain branches of mental health sciences).

I personally lean to the psychoanalysis side of things, but most of my collegues are CBT oriented and they are great. I think the more experience a therapist has the harder it is to distinguish what theory the subscribe too, cause they realise there are different tools to use for different scenarios. The debates at universities and in articles are mostly held by academics.. Therapists and analysts usually work togather regardless of theory identification, atleast where I live.

/r/psychotherapy Thread